Radio Times

Racing legend, robot or giant wasp? Just who is Top Gear's faceless test driver The Stig? We've gathered together expert testimony, celebrity eyewitness accounts and bookie's nous in an attempt to gain a picture of the man behind the helmet.

The evidence

Theo Paphitis: "He's definitely English, judging from the short, Anglo-Saxon words that came out of his mouth when I nearly crashed us. That was the only time he showed emotion."

Lawrence Dallaglio: "I felt like I was talking to a Power Ranger. There was one point, though, where The Stig did lift his visor, and I saw his eyes. I'd say they were sympathetic."

Kate Silverton: "He never took his helmet off, but he does have nice eyes. Fiona [Bruce] and I thought he was quite hot!"

The very first Stig: (F1 test driver Perry McCarthy). Did Damon Hill once sit in for you? "Never. But if you're asking me 'Has Damon ever sat in for The Stig since I left?'… Well…"

Vicki Butler-Henderson: "I know he likes his fish pie. I've seen him eating it with my own eyes."

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson: "I've met him but I only saw him eat a steak and onion pie."

Stunt driver Russ Swift: "I wish I had a fiver for every time someone asked me [if I'm The Stig]. It's certainly flattering and I suppose, yes, I'd like to think I could do The Stig's job."

Kevin Warwick, Professor of Cybernetics: "I think it's highly likely that The Stig is a robot. But you have to remember that even the cleverest robot is only as intelligent as the average wasp. So it's just as likely that The Stig is, in fact, a giant wasp."

The odds

Bookmakers William Hill provided us with the following odds:

Stunt driver Russ Swift - 2/1 favourite
Former F1 world champion Damon Hill - 4/1
Racing driver Ben Collins - 8/1
Jeremy Clarkson - 10/1
Ex-Top Gear test driver Tiff Needell - 14/1
Round-the-world yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur - 100/1
A robot - 1,000/1
A giant wasp - 1,000,000/1

The conclusion

So who do you think The Stig is? Or who would you like it to be? Post a comment below and let us know. And then check out our fun photo gallery, featuring The Stig as you've never seen him before…

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If you have an idea for a fun new stunt for the Top Gear boys to undertake, tell us about it.

the stig is Rowan Atkinson

I can confirm that John Prescott is the Stigster

i think its either jimmy carr, james may or boris johnson

I think the stig might be needles and S T I G stands for Still Tiff In Gear?

i know its julian bailey the touring car driver

Gotta be The Doctor: Valentino Rossi

I think it must be J K, He set the fastest lap.

Im so sure its Damon Hill…!

its tiff needel!!obviously cant show his face cos he's presentin that rubbish show on ch5 that burnt the cool wall down!!

It is most definitely James May. If you don't believe me watch all the episodes again and you will find that the Stig and James May are never seen on screen at the same time.

I bet you it is James May. Watch all the episodes again and you will see that James May and the Stig will never appear on screen at the same time.

Or his son Tom Blomqvist who is also a brill driver !!!! Stig could be in honour of his father

I think It's the rally driver STIG BLOMQVIST !!!!!!

Quite probably Osama Bin Laden. They have never been seen together, Osama is pretty skinny and knows how to stay alive while surrounded by idiots. If Bin Laden denies it I challenge him to appear on screen the same time as Stig.

i think the stig is really ugly - otherwise why would he/she/it wear that massive helmet the whole time?

Julian Bailey.

it must be different stigs. different music each series and people dont change like that. Got a feeling one of them could be that foreign woman they had drive a transit arounf the nurburgring

Jodie Kidd obviously, tall and skinny who else could it be?

i think stig is the only & captin slow - james may, thats why he's called captin slow bcoz he drives like a nutter on the track as the stig!!!!!!

Maybe there's more than one Stig. There are times when he seems tall, other times when he's not quite so tall.

Oh, and the voice on the YouTube piece where "Stig talks" - that sounds like Richard Hammond. Surely he's not the Stig!

I think the stig is Bill Oddie

i know who it is.

its......

James May NOT lol

Stephen Hawking

I'd guess Tiff but he likes to talk a LOT so maybe not.....

Some say, he has an eye where his mouth should be. And his bottom is made from teflon, all we (don't) know is his name!!

will you marry me stig?

If you listen to him (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VihIf1Fi-BM&NR=1), he sounds eerily like Tim Henman! a possibility?

I Don't Think It's Jeremy Cos He Has A BIG Belly XD

Probably a different person each time - but all drawn from the ranks of The white Van Man - afterall they all think they're the best drivers in the world!

Nah you're all wrong.....clearly the Stig is Gene Hunt out of Life on Mars....Which is the reason he never speaks, because if the stig was testing a car and the viewers heard:

"Anything happens to this motor, I'll come 'round your houses and stamp on all your toys. Got it? Good kids"

It would kinda give the game away.

Alex Wurz

Just out of interest, Stig is a Swedish first name which means "path."

The stig is various people: an actor when in the studio (any will do) charlie-butler-henderson when instructing stars Ben Collins, Darren Turner, when testing except if the car manufacturer specifies their own driver

Reg Varney was the Stig who else could drive that well?

'the stig is my mum' near broke a smile there...not!

Margaret Beckitt is the Stig. When the camera is not on her, she practises with caravans.

clearly there is a host of people that do it, depending whos avaliable

the stig is MY mum!

lol!

He is Perry McCarthy (Ex Footwork F1 team)

HTH

I like it how everyone says "its" rather than he or she.

Anyway i agree with what slartibartfast said.

Top Gear filmed near Guildford just down road from Woking, home of McLaren. Rumour has it the stig is a McLaren test driver.

blatently Tony Blair

Ben Collins.

We all " Black " Stig was Perry, but some of the guess's here are laughable !

Ben Collins.

We all " Black " Stig was Perry, but some of the guess's here are laughable !

Couldn't be Johnnie Herbert coz the Stig is thin

It is Ben Collins - he was listed on the report for Hammonds crash as 'Performance Driver and Consultant'. But apparently car manufacturer's often provide their own Stigs who know the car.

the stig is the new F1 Champion!!

is it just me or has nobody mentioned former f1 racer jonny herbert????? hair colour is right if you look at the bit below the helmet on the back of his neck whilst in mske-up

I reckon Stig is more likely a saloon car racer than an ex F1. McNish is my bet

Could the new stig be George W Bush?

It's my mate Steve Clark , from Southport.

James May's mum :)

it's definately not johnny vegas ( too big ) not simon cowell (helmet not big enough) and not louis walsh (too tall).

The Stig is that guy there in the white helmet and overalls - honestly, how hard was that?

Could The Stig be Chris Moyles?

My bet is Nigel Mansell - same build and taste in music.

The Stig is...old man Smithers, the owner of the haunted fun fair, and he would've got away with it too it it wasn't for those pesky kids!

It's obvious, really. It's James May. What better a cover for it than Captain Slow. We're often reminded how slow he is and how he can't do this and that, but he can drive well as we've seen.

the stig is Mr J Spence

Jamie Spence is the stig

I AM THE STIG...NUF SAID LOL.

I AM THE STIG...NUF SAID LOL.

its me

Not sure about the White Stig. But the Black was Damon! I'm 100% sure

the stig is ex racing driver ben collins

I think I know who the Stig is because when I was watching the Dave channel, I noticed the watch he was wearing was the same as on top gear. The person in question is Tif Nedeell.

Ron Meachin Bristol

the stig is ben collins because my scinece teacher dated him

i think the stig is actually a transformer and turns into the cars that is why they can have such beutiful cars on top gear

or mabye just james' mum

Sounds like Alan Titchmarsh to me!

I think it's Jeremy Clarkson

Everyone knows that the Stig is James' mum. ;)

I know for a fact it's Ken Dodd!

Obviously, the Stig is James May's mum!

Pffsht, the Stig is an alien- everyone knows that. Or at least, the fanwriters do- and telling fanwriters something is the best way to keep it secret.

I think that the giant wasp from Dr. Who could be the Stig - who turned out to be the vicar in the Agatha Christie episode.